The potato industry, like so much of the rest of the economy, has changed considerably over the past two years due to the Covid pandemic. As with other food purchases, spending on potatoes shifted dramatically from restaurants and other areas of the food service industry to home consumption. During the height of the pandemic, 55 percent of potatoes purchased were for home consumption and 45 percent were for use in the food-service industry.
As of September 2021, food-service purchases have rebounded somewhat, and are now about even with purchases for home use. Fresh, frozen and dehydrated potato sales are increasing. The current demand for potatoes is outstripping the available supply and potato imports are up over 130 percent.
The European Union is exporting a lot of potatoes to the US, particularly in the frozen-food departments of grocery stores in the eastern half of the country like Trader Joes and Aldi’s. Still, Potatoes USA is continuing to promote potatoes on social media.
Source: eu.wisfarmer.com
